Liquid expresser



l NDV. 23,v 1937. F. DUCKER 2,100,026

LIQUID EXPRESSER Filed March 25, 1%1 5 .Sheets-Sheet l Nov1.23, 1937. L.. F. DUCKER 2,100,025

I LIQUID'EXPRESSER Filed March 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Shee'cl 2 Nov. 23, 1937. L. F. 4DuczKE R.

LIQUID EXPRESSER Filed March 2 5 sheets-sheet 3 /NVE'NTO I (Il.

u `vPatented Nov. .23, 1937,4` V

LIQUID Exrnassna Louis lF. Ducker, 'Mariemonh .01nd, assignor to Richard A. Kaps and Charles H. C. Van Pelt. both ol'4 Cincinnati, Ohio, and said Louis F.

*v* Ducker, .trustees Application March. 23, 1931, Serial N0. 524,619

.4 Claims. (Cl. 10o-50) ,a My present., invention is an. elaboration of the inventionszshown, described and claimed in my applications for Letters Patent on Improvements in liquid expressers, Serial No. 476,892, filed in the UnitedStates 'Patent Omce August 2l, 1930; SerialNo. 484,418, led inthe United StatesPatent Oftice September 25, 1930; which isnow Patent.Nc. 1,996,505, dated April 2, 1935, and Serial No. 522,981',` led in the United StatesPatent 'omce Marca 1s', 1931.y

Liquidxexpresserszof thisfcharacterlare employ- 4 able in expressing: liquid from laundry and from material. which has been dry cleaned and ior otherpurlioses. i

The liquid' expresser comprises a' material chamber for receiving the material from which `tiieliquidis` to be expressed, anda pressure chamstood fromtheiollowing description andclaims,

ben for receivingthe iiuid agency by which the liquidiisexpressed, there being aexible wall'between said chambers, which'` wall may be in the form of abagandis hereinafter. referredto as. a

bag.

It is vthe object of. the present invention to provide; novelmeans whereby to secure the'flexib lebag inplace: further, to providenovelmeans whereby toform a sealed joint between the mouth end-ofthe bag and the.` part orparts associated therewith; further, to provide novel means for preventingl leakagefbetween the mouth end of the bagand` thepart .in whichV it islreceived; and, further, to provide` novelv means wherebyy escape ofuidthrough thejoint. at'the mouth end ofthe bag: is Aprevented.

It is` the object.y of vmy invention further to y, provide novel means for securing the closure or cover in place, and furtherto provide novelmeans whereby to secure the` closure or cover in place selectively lntvarious positions, for directing a discharge portion.; thereof. in various directions in orderv to controlfthe p ositionv of. the dischargefrom the vexpresser.

It is the object of myk invention further to providey novel means for controlling the inlet andtheoutlet of luid'into and from thepressureV chamber;

The invention willbe further readily underandLfrom the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is aside-elevation of my improved device` shown: inassociation with a stationary tub andl aiwashing machine. y

Fig. 2`i`s.a plan view cf 'the same, partly broken away, .wththe cover shownin various positions in dotted lines for directing its spout. .in various directions.`

Fig. 3 is a vertical axial section of my improved device taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing the bag and material in expressed relation.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my improved device, partly broken away.

5 Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section, partly broken away, showing the joint between, the upper end of the flexible bag, the tank and its cover, taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of afmodiiicationof the 10 same.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional detail view of the f locking means for the cover, taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the control means 15 for controlling the feeding and discharge of the liquid in the tank, the connections being partly broken away.

Fig. 9 is an axial section ofthe same, taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 2; and,v

Fig. 10 islan axial section of the same, partly zo brokenaway, taken in the plane of thevline i0- i0 of Fig. 9. y

In the present exempliiication of my invention there is a tank 2i in which there is a bag 22. 25

I'he bag is arranged to receive the clothes or other material from which the liquid is to be exi pressed, a body or batch of such material being shown at 23 in the bag. The bag encompasses a material chamber 24.

3 The bag normally depends in the tank. The

sides of the bag may normally be close to the sides of the tank, and the bottom of the bag may normally be supported by the bottom of the tank, for instance as indicated in Fig. 5. The 35 introduction of pressure uid into the tank causes immediate spacing of the bag from the sides and bottom of the tank.

The bag is provided with ahead 25 about its mouth 26. The bag is exemplied of greater 0 length than diameter.

Adjacent to the mouth 28 of the tank, the tank is Vprovided withan inner annular groove 29, shown formed by an outwardly bent annular bead 30 in the metal of the tank. The bead 25 of the 45 bag is shown located in this groove.

Thereis a cover 3| for the tank. The'cover has an annular side wall 32 provided with an annular engagingA face 33 to form an, annular groove complementa] `to the annular groove 2li for receiving 50 the bead 25 of the bag.

The tank, which may be formed of sheet metal, isprovided with an upwardly extending annular wall 34 located above the bead 30 and connecting .With the bead by an annular depressed connec- 55,

CII

tion (Fig. 5). The upper end of this annular wall is provided with an inwardly turned flange 36 having an inward downward extension 31. This flange and the wall 34 preferably extend outside the cylindrical plane of the median line of the bead. y

The cover is provided with lugs 4l received under the flange 36 for holding the closure to the tank. 'I'he lugs extend radially from the annular wall 32, and are received through recesses 42 in the flange 35. The ends of the lugs are preferably inclined, as at 43, for forming wedge faces for readily locating the cover on the tank and clamping the same in place with the grooves 23, 33, in proper relation. The cover is moved in axial direction into the mouth of the tank and is then rotated for connecting the lugs with the flange in any desired angular relation.

The cover is provided with a cross wall 41 provided with holes 48 fFigs. 3, 4 and 5). This cross wall is shown as a bent sheet metalstructure secured to an inwardly extending flange 49 extending inwardly from the annular side wall 32 of the cover, and suitably secured thereto, as by spot welding or riveting for forming a sealed joint.

The cover is provided with a deflector plate 5I lforming an outlet chamber 52 in the cover. The deflector plate has an annular bulge 53 extending above the perforated plate, an annular flat portion 54 surrounding said bulge, the portion 54 having a downwardly and inwardly extending annular flange 55 received under the edge of the cross wall, for securing the defiector to said cross- Wall, the defiector plate and the cross-wall being at their margins suitably secured together for forming a sealed joint therebetween, as by spot welding.y The middle portions of the deflector plate and the cross wall may be connected, as by a rivet 56.

A discharge spout 8l extends from the cover and is exemplified as a hollow tube fixed to the cover, and has a discharge passage 62 which connects with the outlet chamber 52. The spout is received through a hole 63 in the side wall of the defiector, which is bulged at 64 for permitting this to be done, the discharge spout being fixed to the cover, as by being spot welded thereto.

A handle 65 is also fixed to the cover, as by having a flattened portion 66 riveted to the cover, the handle including an outwardly extending tubular portion 61. The vdischarge spout also forms a handle.- The discharge spout and the handle 65 are preferably secured to opposite sides of the cover, so that they may be readily grasped by both of the hands of the user, for rotating the closure and for moving the same axially into or out of the mouth of the tank.

The securing means between the cover and thev tank are so arranged that the cover may be placed in various angular positions on the tank for directing the discharge spout thereof in .various angular directions, so as to discharge the liquid being expressed from the material, for instance, either into a washing machine, exemplified at 1|, or into a stationary tub, exemplified at 12, or into other suitable receptacles or drain.

In the present exemplification the cover is provided wlth four securing lugs and the mouth e'nd of the tank is provided with four coacting recesses, and the discharge spout is exemplified in Fig. 2 as directed in four different directions, one in full lines and three in dotted lines. The discharge spoutv may, however, if desired, be directed into any desired angular positions by correspondingly rotating the cover.

The tank is suitably supported. It is shown supported in a ring 13 bracketed by a bracket 14 from the Washing machine.

The bag 22 is`v a flexible bag. There is a pressure chamber 15 between the wall of the tank and 5 the bag. Fluid under pressure is arranged to be received between the tank and the bag for surrounding the bag with a flexible pressure element for squeezing the bag and its contents and expressing the liquid from. the material. This ma- 10 terial is usually a saturated material, as clothes or other material received from a power washing machine in the washing operation, or material which has been' dry cleaned, or treated in other manner.

The pressure fluid is preferably water or other liquid which is substantially non-compressible, but readily flowable in all directions, exerting its pressure in all directions, and is yieldable throughout to'excess local resistance, for exerting uni- ,20 form pressure upon all parts of the outside of the i bag, and for exerting uniform pressure upon the l material from the outside thereof to express the liquid therefrom.

The bag is preferably rendered impervious to the pressure medium and to the liquid in the bag. It may be made o f soft pliable rubber, similar to the rubber of an inner tube of an automobile tirev and have a bead formed at its mouth.'

The pressure fiuid exerts pressure between the 30 tank and the bag, causing flow of the fluid toward the joint between the mouth of the bag and the mouth of the tank, and there is also flow of the liquid from the material and a pressure of liquid in the bagk or material chamber which act upon .3; the joint between the mouth of the flexible bag and the cover. It is desirable that these joints be tight joints to prevent the flow of any fluid therethrough to the outside of the tank, while at the same time it is desirable to avoid the necessity ofV a great amount of clamping pressure uponl the mouth of the bag. The tendency for the( fluid or liquid to pass the joint at the mouth of the bag is especially evident at the beginning of the expressing operation where a solid beadis employed at the mouth of the bag.

I have provided means for avoiding such leakage in the form of a flexible fiap at said joint, upon which the flow of uid or liquid acts for sealing the joint. The initial portion of the flow of .uid or liquid is arranged to act upon the flexible flap for sealing the joint as soon as the now or the pressure begins.

For accomplishing this, I have provided a ilexible flap 8l, at the inside of the bag arranged to coact with the coacting face 33 v(Fig. 5). This ap and this face are shown annular, with an annular space or groove 82 under the flap between the flap and the body of the bag. It is shown as part of the bead 25. When flow of fluid or pressure in the bag begins it will be received in the annular groove 82 and thereby press the flexible flap toward its coacting face for sealing, the joint at the mouth end of the bag.

A flexible flap is also preferablyvprovided at the outside of the mouth of the bag for sealing the joint between the mouth of the bag and the4 tank. Thus the bag 22 is providedA with a flexible flap 83 under which there is a space 0r cavity, shown as a groove 84. The flexible flap 83 is shown on the bead 25. These parts are preferably annular. At the beginning of the flow of fluid or of the pressure of the fluid between the bag and the tank, flow or pressure is received in the space 84 for forcing the flap 83 outwardly toward the wall of its groove for sealy p u y 2,100,026 ing the jointat the outside of the mouth of the bag.` j Flow of fluid or liquid is thereby prevented f past the joint between the mouth end of the bag and its holdingmeans, so as to prevent leakage past the joint between the mouth of the tank and its cover and compel allof the fluid between f the tankA andthe flexible bag to remain in the pressure chamber during the squeezing operation, and to cause the flow of liquid out of the material chamber through the cover and its discharging means.

A modification is exemplified in Fig. 6 inl which afiap is located only at the inside of the mouth of the bag, the body of .the bead being receivedin the inner annular groove at the mouth end of the tank.y This has been found to be very effective where the leakage occurs from the material lchamber rathery than from the pressure chamber, the initial pressure in `the material chamber forcing the bead to itsseat` in the tank.

In the modification the inner portion of the bead .25'V is provided with an annular flexible lip 85 under which thereis an annular, groove 86 in .which the flow of liquid in the material compartment isreceived for forcing the lip or flap against its coacting face and sealing the joint, and also forcing the bead against its seat in the tank for sealing the joint between the bead and the tank.

Means are providedlfor admitting flow of iluld into the pressure chamber and of exhausting the fluid therefrom. Thus the bottom of the tank is provided with a port 89 formed in a fitting 90 suitably secured to saidbottom. The fitting is by a coupling 96, clamping a washer 91 between the fixture and the end of thefaucet.

i The fixturecomprises a tube 98 having a passage 99. The end of the tube has a valve seat with which a valve |0| is arranged to coact. This valve is on a thimble |02 received about the lower end of the tube and provided with passages |03 at the respective sides of the valve through lwhich the liquid passes when the valve is open.

The thimble has a slide face |04 coacting with a guide face |05 on the tube, and is provided with lugs |06 shown on screws |01. The lugs are norz mally received in slots |08 on the tube, and are arranged to move along wedge faces |09 onsaid tube when the thimble has been raised and is being turned, for clampingly closing the valve.

An ejector nozzle coacts with a passage 2 in the nipple 94 and discharges into the tube 98. The ejector nozzle has a downwardly tapered passage ||3. When the'valve |0| is c1osed,.the water from the hydrant passes through the ejector nozzle III, fills the passage 99 in the tube 98 and flows through the passage ||2, the hose -92 and the port 89,'into the pressure chamber for exerting squeezing pressure upon the bag andthe material therein. Y I

When this material has been squeezed and the liquid expressed therefrom, the valve |0| may be opened, whereupon the flow from the faucet is through said tube and past the valve |0|, acting as an ejector for drawing the water through the passage ||2, the hose 92 and the port 89, from the pressure chamber for emptying the pressure chamber. r

In operation,` the cover is released from the tank/and the saturated'material -is placed in the bag. The cover is then replaced and fastened to the tank in such position that the delivery spout thereof extends in the desired direction with relation to the tank for discharging the expressed liquid in desired direction.

The means provided forsecuring the cover to the tank are such that the cover is easily put in place in any desired angular position and definitcly located with relation to the mouth end of the tank, the flange 55 on the deflector plate 5| resting upon the top of the tank for locating the groove at the lower end of the cover in proper relation to the groove in the mouth end of the tank to receive and hug the bead at the mouth end ofthe bag, and formproper coacting resistance faces to movements of the flexible flaps on the respective sides of the mouth end of the bag.

The faucet 93 being opened and the valve |0| being closed, water is forcedthrough the ejector nozzle l into `the passage 99, through the passage ||2, the hose 92 and the port 69 into the pressure chamber, for exerting squeezing pressure uponV the bag and the material therein.

The pressure thus introduced between the tank and the bag acts with side pressure upon the elongated sides ofthe bag and with end pressure upon the end of rthe bag. This action of the pressing fluid uponthe bag and thematerial therein yis in simulation of the squeezing of saturated material between the human hands, but

vwith a cushioning fluid, and is a squeezing action upon the material without relative distortion between the portions of they material or twisting of the material.

The action of the compressing fluid upon the bag is to contract the bag and thereby close any punctures, holes or leaks there may be in the bag, and to avoid the formation of any` such holes, punctures or leaks during the pressing operation. Any hard objects among the material, such as buttons, buckles or the like are cushioned against the material and if they should contact the bag. there is no danger of puncturing the bag because the squeezing action is to compress the constituent parts of the bag against each other, rather than to expand the same, and to crowd the constituent parts of the bag about any such hard object for cushioning the hard object, as distinguished from a stretching of the portion of the bag about a hard object.

Thesl actions are more fully described and the relations of parts accomplishing the same more broadly claimed in my aforesaid copending applications hereinbefore mentioned.

The initial portion of the flow or pressure of the liquid in the material causes movement of the inner flexible flap at the mouth of the bag fo! sealing the joint at said mouth. The flowv of liquid or pressure in the groove thereunder forces the mouth end of the bag into intimate contact with the coacting portion of the wall of the cover for sealing the joint therebetween. When the outer exible flap is employed the initial portion of the flow or pressure in the pressure chamber arriving at the outer flexible flap causes outward movement of said flexible flap to seal the joint between the mouth of the exible bag and thc tank. v

The flow from the hydrant continues for exerting and building up pressure in the pressure compartment for squeezing the bag and the material therein and expressing thc liquid thoicfrom.

The liquid is forced vthrough the perforations i in the cover into the discharge space or channel in said cover and through the discharge spout.

When the fluidhas been sufdciently expressed from the material, the Yvalve IUI is opened, whereby the fluid from the faucet passes through said valve, creating a vacuum in the passage H2, and drawing the water ont of said passage, the hose 92, thenipple SL'through theport 89, and out of'the pressure chamber, for emptyingthe pressure chamber. r

The cover is removed for emptying the bag, or fresh water or blifiing or other-treating liquid maybe repeatedly introduced into the bag,"\and expressedffor rinsing, bluing or otherwise treating the material. i i

I do not herein claim the general arrangement of material chamber, pressure chamber and ilexible wall or bag between said chambers,4 nor the relations and forms of the same nor the relation of an elongated bag and an elongated tank; lnor broadly means nor method for expressing the y'liquid or rinsing the material; nor broadly shifting the spout into various radial positions; nor broadly providing an expansible member at the mouth of said bag, herein shown and described, having shown, described and claimed the same in my aforesaid copending applications.

Havingthus fully described my invention, what Iv claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isz

l. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of atank, a cover therefor, a flexible bag having a mouth, a material chamber at one side of said bag, a pressure chamber at the other side of said bag, said tank and said cover having opposite walls between which said mouth is located, and flexible aps between said wallsr and said mouth flexed by the flow oi.' iluid from said material chamber and said pressure chamber for sealing the joints between said walls and said mouth.

2. In an expresser, the combination of a receptacle including a cover, the receptacle having an annular recessed seat and the cover having an 'between the body of said bag andthe cui! formcui and casing, and means to admit fluid under annular seatopposed to the-recessed seat; and a ,ilexible wall in the receptacle having an annular rib at its periphery provided with an annular'llp initially seating on the seat oi' the cover,said annular rib being resilient and expanding into said recess initially and under the action of fluid pressure, having its seating pressine increased on said seats as the pressure in the receptacle increases, thereby sealing the wall relae tive to the receptacle.

3; In a linen wringing machine, the combination with an inflexible outer casing being internally enlarged at its upper end to form an. annular channel; of a flexible bagwithinthe casing, its bottom normally contacting the .bottom of the casing, said bag being open at the top and the material of the bag at itsupper edge forming an annular cuff spaced from the body of the bag and engaged into said annulary channel, the space sure to said casing.

4. In a linen wringing machine, the combination with an inflexible outer casing and a removi able covertherefor, said casing being internally j enlarged'at its upper end to form an annular {30 channel; of a flexible bag within the casing, 'its i bottom normally contacting the bottom of the casing, said bag being-open at the top and thev material of the bag at its upper edge forming'y an annular cuiI spaced from the body of the bag and engaged into said annular channel, said' cuil being thickenedl to form a reinforcement, the space between the body of said bag and the forming a pressure channel closed at `its upper end whereby when fluid under pressure is admitted to the casing around the bag said cui! is forced outwardly to prevent leakage between the pressure to the casing.

LOUIS l". DUCKER. 

